Democracy, not guns, foundation of America

I recently attended a meeting to discuss gun violence and how to solve this on-going problem. The group had diverse opinions and solutions.

But the discussion on gun registration was a touchstone for me. What does it mean if you do not trust your government with the information that you own a gun?

Apparently, there is a significant segment of our nation who believe the government is one step away from confiscating all guns and that we are headed for tyranny.

Wow. To me that is a window into a deeper problem than just gun control.

If you can make the statement you don’t trust our government, by extension, you do not trust democracy. If you can make that statement, you do not believe in the fundamental tenets of the democratic process.

For many who hold this view, the Second Amendment is the central right in the Constitution and is the bedrock of your belief system. You look for meaning in every obscure statement made by the Founding Fathers that may support your opinion.

However, you fail to understand the foundation of the Constitution is not gun rights, but democracy. The Founders believed absolutely that democracy was the means by which power was transferred peacefully.

Our democracy has lasted more than 200 years because the vote of the people is paramount, not the barrel of a gun.